Thursday, September 06, 2007

GAO Global Warming Report Has Unrealistic Expectations For Federal Agencies

Ever think there are problems beyond the capability of humans to manage or solve? American racial integration comes to mind. Maybe climate change is another. Try as we might, these problems are simply extremely complex to solve. A new 184-page GAO report commissioned by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and John Kerry (D Mass) in 2004 says the federal government could do a better job on addressing climate change. The report says fed gov managers "have limited guidance about how to address climate change and without such guidance their ability to address climate change...is constrained."

Well how can the federal, state or locals governments address global warming when America does not have a national policy on the issue? When will Congress establish such a national policy? There is a lot of talk but not much action. And House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell intends to frighten the public with the real costs of doing something about climate change this fall. So it appears to be putting the cart before the horse to expect the federal government to have any sort of guidance for managers to address global warming. The market place is cruising right along doing its thing without regard to global warming, nothwithstanding Al Gore's blitz on the issue since he left office. So officials can continue to write reports about the problem, but until we establish a national (and international) policy to address global warming, it is just more words on paper. (Wash Post)

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